Wichita Business Journal (KS) articles from September 2000

Wichita Business Journal (KS) archives from September 2000

Good news expected from econ conference.
September 29, 2000... Expect to hear good news at the 21st Annual Wichita Area Economic Outlook Conference. That's according to Janet Nickel Harrah, director of Wichita State University's Center for Economic Development and Business Research, which prepares a...

Feist Publications to build corporate center near K-96.
September 29, 2000... Feist Publications Inc. has plans to break ground next month on the $6 million Feist Corporate Center. It will be the first building in the new Northeast Expressway Executive Park near K-96 and Webb Road that is being developed by Bachrodt...

LS Industries purchases Wisconsin-based firm.
September 29, 2000... LS Industries of Wichita has purchased Winona Van Norman, a manufacturer of engine rebuilding equipment formerly based in Winona, Wis. LS Industries is adding 25 new employees, doubling its local force, to operate Winona Van Norman,...

The taco center of the universe is closer to your home than you think.
September 29, 2000... Hutchinson is noted for its salt mines, a state fair and a very cool space museum. But the good folks at the fast-food eatery of Jack in the Box (even if the chain isn't in Wichita, you just must remember that TV spot with the clown being...

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS.
September 29, 2000... Corrections and clarifications will appear in this space. The Business Journal apologizes for any inconvenience caused by errors. Call 266-6184 if you see an error.

Husch & Eppenberger plans to boost salaries, add lawyers to already growing local office.
September 29, 2000... The pending combination of St Louis-based law firms Husch & Eppenberger LLC and Ziercher & Hocker will mean changes at Husch's local office, says Alan Rupe, the firm's local managing partner. It means more resources for the Wichita...

Stellex seeks subcontractor's sale as part of Chapter 11.
September 29, 2000... The parent company of an area aviation subcontractor, Stellex Precision Machining Inc., is seeking to sell the company -- along with five other companies it owns -- as part of an effort to raise cash in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. ...

ionex considers relocating to a larger building.
September 29, 2000... ionex telecommunications officials say the company may move out of its downtown offices at 110 S. Main and into larger facilities elsewhere in Wichita. Company spokesman Jim Altemus says the Wichita and Kansas branch has grown so much in...

Sherwin-Williams' Andover plant plans to add third shift, more workers.
September 29, 2000... Officials at the Sherwin-Williams Co.'s plant in Andover are planning to add a third shift and hire additional employees for second shift as demand for chemical coating products increases. Bill Ellison, site manager of the facility at 630...

Regulators issue warnings for banks to tighten their lending standards.
September 29, 2000... Federal banking regulators are telling to tighten up the standards they use to make commercial loans. In recent months, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Office of the Controller of the Currency have issued warnings that banks...

Couple relocates California vet practice to College Hill.
September 29, 2000... Dr. Christopher Hesse and Dr. Catherine Pupkoff-Hesse, a husband and wife veterinary team, have relocated their southern California practice to Wichita. The couple recently opened College Hill Animal Hospital Inc. at 244 N. Hillside in...

KETCH doubling the size of its downtown campus.
September 29, 2000... The campus of the Kansas Elks Training Center for the Handicapped (KETCH) will nearly double now that the nonprofit agency has purchased an additional 63,000 square feet of land adjacent to its location at 1006 E. Waterman. The deal...

36 Wichita tower sites changing hands.
September 29, 2000... Thirty-six telecommunications tower sites in the Wichita area are changing hands in a deal between Divine Towers International of Columbus, Ohio, and Lattice Communications LLC of Cincinnati. Dean Meiszer, president of Lattice...

Expo to bring area companies, travelers together.
September 29, 2000... Putting Wichita travelers together with some big names in the business is the idea behind Travel and Transport's first area travel exposition. The event is scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m., Oct. 17, at the Hyatt Regency, 400 W. Waterman, and is...

Senate biotech caucus follows House revival.
September 29, 2000... New developments in medical and genetic research have put biotechnology under the microscope, so two senators have started a forum to educate members about the industry. The Senate Biotechnology Caucus is expected to hold its first...

Pier 1 and Sveta's Body Therapy scheduled to open in Bradley Fair.
September 29, 2000... Shopping center expansion now 50 percent leased Pier 1 Imports, an international retailer offering distinct, casual home furnishings from more than 50 countries, will open a third Wichita location in the spring of 2001 in the Bradley Fair...

Eighteen small Kansas cities may join the government's statistical `club'.
September 29, 2000... Small cities -- including 18 in Kansas -- are finally getting their due, statistically speaking. A federal review committee has proposed a new demographic category below the level of metropolitan areas. Nonmetropolitan cities with 10,000...

Federal Reserve chief sees threat in math, science education gaps.
September 29, 2000... Alan Greenspan says he is glad he learned math the old-fashioned way: with a pencil and paper, not a calculator. Americans are glad Greenspan developed such an analytical mind, based on the credit the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board...

The light is on Harbor Isle as work begins on phase two of development.
September 29, 2000... Harbor Isle housing addition is opening its second phase, says developer Brad Bachman, who introduced Harbor Isle to Wichita four years ago and will serve as the second addition's exclusive builder. Located near 4900 N. Meridian, phase...

Don't miss next week's Economic Outlook Conference at WSU.
September 29, 2000... In this week's issue, reporter Jerry Siebenmark talks to some of the speakers who will be featured at next week's Economic Outlook Conference. The conference, set for 7:30 to 11 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Wichita Marriott Hotel, is...

Airport plan looks good.
September 29, 2000... The city's ambitious new approach to planning renovations on Wichita Mid-Continent Airport is good news. Wichita needs to present itself to air travelers as a stylish, modern and exciting city. As it is today, the airport is functional...

Volunteers continue to Race for the Cure.
September 29, 2000... "You've got breast cancer." These words are spoken once every 11 minutes in the United States. According to The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, this year 182,800 women will be diagnosed and 40,800 will die; 1,300 men will be...

Salomon Smith Barney seeks to become 800-pound gorilla in Wichita.
September 29, 2000... As the new branch manager and vice president of investments at Salomon Smith Barney Inc. in Wichita, Michael Schipper's directions are clean. To make his company a major force in the securities brokerage business in the Air Capital. ...

Setting expectations key to handling employees' bad attitudes.
September 29, 2000... By far the most common question that I receive from managers is, "What do you do about an employee who has a bad attitude?" Other versions of the same question include: "How do you handle an employee who is arrogant?" "... argues with...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
September 29, 2000... ACCOUNTING David Swan has joined Kirkpatrick, Sprecker & Co. LLP as a tax specialist. ADVERTISING Associated Advertising Agency Inc. has promoted Desi Mairs from production assistant to associate designer. Rhonda...

1 - AWARDS.
September 29, 2000... The Wichita Center for the Arts announced the award winners of the 2000 National Small Oil Painting Exhibition. Among the winners were two Wichita residents: Art Martin and Jeff Milholland.

2 - BANKRUPTCIES.
September 29, 2000... The following bankruptcies were recently filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Kansas, Wichita Division. District of Kansas Wichita Division Chapter 7 Chapter 7 is a "straight" liquidation bankruptcy involving an...

3 - BIDS.
September 29, 2000... City of Wichita and Sedgwick County bids Public Works Department/Fleet & Buildings Division Exterior renovation of Omnisphere. Bids close Oct. 6. Public Works/Engineering Division Engineering services 31st St. North. Bids close...

4 - BUILDING PERMITS.
September 29, 2000... Newly issued building permits are collected from the county and city building inspection departments. The following information is included: contractor/owner, job site address, description, square feet (if available) and estimated value. ...

5 - COURT JUDGMENTS.
September 29, 2000... Judgments filed with the District Clerk. Civil Judgments filed against businesses for $5,000 or more are published in the following order: plaintiff name, defendant name, defendant address (if available), amount of judgment, prevailing party,...

6 - GRANTS.
September 29, 2000... Hospice Inc. has received a $25,000 grant throught the K.T. Wiedemann Foundation. The grant will be used in facilitating and increasing the Hospice Inc. volunteer program.

7 - NEW CORPORATIONS.
September 29, 2000... New Corporations are filed with the State of Kansas. They are listed in ZIP code order and include the following information: business name, address, ZIP code. State of Kansas University Lutheran Center Association, 833 N. Waco/P.O....

8 - NEW LAWSUITS.
September 29, 2000... New litigation filed against businesses with the District Clerk; includes plaintiff, defendant, case number and date filed. Sedgwick County Pallet Pallet Inc. v. National Carriers Inc., recovery of money, case #00C 02924, 09/14/00....

9 - REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.
September 29, 2000... Real Estate Transactions are recorded with the Register of Deeds. Following are commercial transfers including: seller, buyer, buyer's address, property address and subdivision (if available), book/page number and date recorded. Sedgwick...

A legal primer.
September 29, 2000... Attorneys say legal pitfalls avoidable if entrepreneurs get the right advice Starting up a new business venture can be an exciting, emotional time. Seeing an idea turn into something concrete is thrilling. But unforeseen legal...

Women lawyers less optimistic about advancement.
September 29, 2000... A new American Bar Association Journal poll indicates that women in the legal profession are less optimistic about their career opportunities than they were in 1983. Both women and men are now considerably less likely to say that they...

Nugent's bankruptcy appointment chance to enhance profession's image.
September 29, 2000... Robert Nugent sees his recent appointment as judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wichita as a means to promote the law profession. Nugent, 45, says as a federal judge he can set a tone of civility, respect for clients, and respect...

E-commerce legal issues ensnare Internet business newcomers.
September 29, 2000... Electronic commerce's apparent promise of expanding markets without dramatically increasing overhead has lured hundreds of Kansas City-area businesses onto the Internet. But like the sirens of Greek mythology, the allure of e-commerce...

Law Firms.
September 29, 2000... (Ranked by number of attorneys, then by number of staff) 2000 1999 Name Rank Rank Address 1 1 Foulston & Siefkin LLP Bank of America Center, Ste. 700 Wichita, Kan....

Congress may help Olympics fight `ambush marketing'.
September 29, 2000... Congress may consider legislation next year to give the U.S. Olympic Committee more power to fight "ambush marketers" -- businesses that are not Olympic sponsors but use images associated with the Games in their advertising. Sen. Ted...

Black-listing rule likely to survive despite opposition.
September 29, 2000... Sen. Tim Hutchinson, R-Ark., says he will "look for every vehicle" to pass legislation that would force the Clinton administration to hold off on implementing new requirements for companies who receive government contracts. The...

House of Representatives requires SBA to track contract bundling.
September 29, 2000... Small businesses know they are losing government contracts because of federal agencies' growing tendency to bundle procurement deals into large packages, but they lack hard data to prove how harmful the practice is. That may change with...

THE MONEY PAGE.
September 29, 2000... * BORROWING RATES(1) Auto(2) Personal Prime Terms Terms Sunflower Bank 9.50 8.50 12.50 The Valley...

REAL ESTATE.
September 29, 2000... Son adds architectural services Son Corp., a Wichita company offering construction management services, is adding architectural and design and engineering services. Call Sandi Beard at (316) 831-9494 for more information. Wilson...

Delta Dental receives Clarus award.
September 29, 2000... Delta Dental Plan of Kansas' "Fluoride YES! A Campaign for Wichita Water Fluoridation" received a Clarus award from the Public Relations Society of America-Kansas chapter for its efforts to promote water fluoridation for the city of Wichita....

NONPROFITS.
September 29, 2000... Project Awareness Candlelight Ceremony Project Awareness for Mental Illness is having a candlelight ceremony honoring those who suffer with mental illness. Dr. Michael Schwartz, professor of psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University...

VoiceStream will hire 800 workers.
September 22, 2000... $15M call center to employ 300 more than first predicted As VoiceStream Wireless' $15 million call center in northeast Wichita begins operation, company officials say they will need 800 employees, 300 more than they had predicted. ...

Comfort Systems brings veteran company into its fold.
September 22, 2000... Bill Freidline has decided to merge his 35-year old company, Wichita Air Conditioning, with an expansion-minded Iowa company that has been acquiring Wichita plumbing, heating and air conditioning businesses. Like three other well known...

Commerce hires ex-Bank IV exec to expand accounts.
September 22, 2000... Bradley Burnside is returning to banking with a mission to expand Commerce Bank's commercial business. Burnside, who was a senior vice president with Koch Industries Inc.'s financial subsidiary, spent nine years as senior vice president...

Opening bell rings for new line of Wall Street themed T-shirts.
September 22, 2000... Do you work hard all day trading on the market? Well, friend, now there's a way to let your neighbors know what you do when you're at home keeping that lawn in shape. A company called WallStWear.com Inc. tipped us off to its new line...

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS.
September 22, 2000... Ray A. Penner is chairman of the board of First Bank of Newton. The name of the chairman was incorrect in a list of banks Sept. 8. The Business Journal apologizes for any inconvenience caused by errors, Call 266-6184 if you see an error.

Snow, Hodge and Edwards to launch new law firm.
September 22, 2000... Five Wichita attorneys are forming a new law firm. Windell Snow, Sue Edwards, Ryan Hodge, James Peter and Paul Leader will open the firm of Snow Hodge & Edwards by Oct. 15, says Ryan Hodge. The firm is moving into a 3,700-square-foot...

Development of Oak Ridge II and III now underway.
September 22, 2000... As west Wichita's residential communities continue to multiply, so do the Oak Ridge developments near 29th Street North and Ridge Road. Developed by J.V. Van Allen, owner of Jayhawk Contractors Inc., the first phase of Oak Ridge is...

Central Bank's holding company seeks investments outside Kansas.
September 22, 2000... Central Bank & Trust's holding company has been on a mission the past few years to. gain ownership in small community banks throughout the nation. Central Financial Corp., the holding company of Hutchinson-based Central Bank, will...

E-program implemented between Boeing, suppliers to save expenses.
September 22, 2000... Several years ago, the Boeing Co. faced a serious problem when parts and aircraft inventory stacked up while at the same time critical parts were in short supply. The result? A huge backlog of orders -- and the first annual loss in company...

Bank of America targets teachers with Teacher Flex and Zero Down.
September 22, 2000... Kansas teachers are taking part in two home loan programs Bank of America launched earlier this year to help teachers purchase a home, says Tony Flores, account executive for Bank of America's downtown Wichita branch. The programs,...

Vanguard plans to make Kansas City a hub as low-cost carriers fly high.
September 22, 2000... Kansas City International Airport is on a roll and is gaining its first hub since Braniff Airlines' failed attempt to build one in 1989. "We're going to build a hub here," said Greg Aretakis, vice president of market planning for...

IET of Kansas to change name to Atronex.
September 22, 2000... Local business-to-business computer wholesaler International Electronic Technology of Kansas Inc. will be changing its name at the end of the month. On Sept. 29 IET will take the new name, Atronex Technologies Inc., at an invitation-only...

New Curves for Women offers 30-minute workout for busy women.
September 22, 2000... Curves for Women, a fitness and weight-loss center franchised locally by Marla White, opened this week in the Richview Plaza Shopping Center at 2130 N. Tyler Road. Curves offers both exercise and weight-loss guidance in the same location. ...

New suitor may be eyeing parent company of Commercial Federal Bank.
September 22, 2000... The parent company of Commercial Federal Bank, the Wichita area's largest residential mortgage lender, is supposedly contemplating a new merger agreement -- but officials representing the principals aren't talking about their plans. U.S....

Rugby players form nonprofit group to promote British in Wichita.
September 22, 2000... A new group dedicated to introducing more Kansans to the game of rugby, the Rugby Foundation of Wichita, is looking for sponsors from the business community. Popular in other parts of the world Rugby is still unfamiliar to most...

RV Products of Wichita marketing new thermostat.
September 22, 2000... Wichita's RV Products has designed and is making a new product that can control temperatures in four zones in a recreational vehicle simultaneously from a single thermostat. Officials at the company, 3050 N. St. Francis, say the device is the...

Boeing's Joint Strike Fighter completes initial test flight.
September 22, 2000... The Boeing Co. says its Joint Strike Fighter, competing for a 8200 billion U.S. contract to build a new generation of fighter jets, has completed its flight test. Boeing's JSF X-32A demonstrator made the 30-mile flight from Boeing's...

Famed Menninger psychiatric facility may leave Kansas for Dallas.
September 22, 2000... The world-renowned Menninger psychiattic corporation and clinic may be picking up stakes and moving to the Lone Star State. Officials at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and the Baylor College of Medicine in...

Making our product more valuable to you our reason for changes.
September 22, 2000... We're making some changes at the Wichita Business Journal. Our goal is to improve our product so readers will find it more valuable and easier to use. You'll be the judge of that, of course. Please let us know what you think. First,...

Make-A-Wish thankful for business support.
September 22, 2000... Philanthropy is alive and thriving in Wichita. At the offices of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Kansas, we see evidence of it every day. Most Wichita employers encourage employees to give back to the community and try to make it fun while...

Second generation owners move Garten's Music to Wichita.
September 22, 2000... Banking that a larger facility, expanded product line and a location that makes them west Wichita's only full-service keyboard, piano and organ retailer will give them a larger share of the market, Garten's Music moved from its original...

Despite judiciary committee's OK, clock running out for sports gambling bill.
September 22, 2000... The odds are against legislation to ban gambling on college sports, despite the House Judiciary Committee's 19-9 approval of the bill Sept. 13. Supporters say they could win a vote in the full House, but congressional leaders are not...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
September 22, 2000... BANKING AND FINANCE Fidelity Title Co. Inc. has announced that Judy Cahard has joined its staff as vice president of the title department. Ginger L. Williams has joined Campbell & Associates, a financial advisory branch of American...

1 - AWARDS.
September 22, 2000... United Way of the Plains has received the "Business Solutions in the Public Interest" award for its leadership and innovation in providing health care to low income, uninsured and medically underserved people across the United States. ...

2 - BIDS.
September 22, 2000... City of Wichita and Sedgwick County bids City of Wichita Park Department/Recreation Division Swimming pool design/build repairs and modifications for Edgemoor Park Pool. Bids close Sept. 26. Finance Department/Information...

3 - BUILDING PERMITS.
September 22, 2000... Newly issued building permits are collected from the county and city building inspection departments. The following information is included: contractor/owner, job site address, description, square feet (if available) and estimated value. ...

4 - COURT JUDGMENTS.
September 22, 2000... Sedgwick County Heller First Capital Corp. v. Christopher T. Thurston dba North American Vending, 103 N. Terrace Drive, Wichita 67208, $47,033, plaintiff, document #00C 2123, 09/01/00. Seiko Corp. of America v. Grimes Jewelers Inc.,...

5 - FEDERAL TAX LIENS.
September 22, 2000... These are recently filed by The Internal Revenue Service against assets of a business for unpaid income or payroll taxes. They are recorded with the Register of Deeds. Published are liens against businesses for $5,000 or more. The data...

6 - FEDERAL TAX LIENS RELEASED.
September 22, 2000... Sedgwick County Apex Engineering Inc., 1234 Wellington Place, Wichita 67203, $56,759, (Employee Withholding), Book/Page 2089/1499, 09/08/00.

7 - GIFTS.
September 22, 2000... Catholic Charities has announced that its Adult Day Services program has received a $40,000 gift from an anonymous trust managed by Intrust Bank. The gift will be used to help provide scholarships to clients who have no funding to pay for the...

8 - GRANTS.
September 22, 2000... Liz Koch, president of the Kansas Cultural Trust, has announced the third quarter 2000 Kansas Cultural Trust grant recipient Mirko D'Angelo. D'Angelo has been awarded $4,000 to audition for major opera companies. The grant was made possible...

9 - STATE TAX WARRANTS.
September 22, 2000... New warrants filed by the State and recorded with the District Clerk. Published are warrants against businesses for $5,000 or more. The data appears in the following order: taxpayer's name, address, amount of warrant, type of warrant (if...

Web sites drive car sales.
September 22, 2000... Automobile dealers with several years experience' using the Web are seeing greater sales from Internet leads. That's according to a survey by the National Automobile Dealers Association, which says dealerships operating Web sites since...

Breaking Barriers.
September 22, 2000... Saleswomen say auto buyers like their less threatening approach Women are beginning to make inroads into the business of selling cars -- in Wichita and across the nation. They are making their way into the ranks of dealers' sales...

Future automotive accessories geared to added safety, convenience.
September 22, 2000... Remember the mid-1980s when air bags were new? Think back to how every automaker touted their safety, their flawless execution and the value they added to every car. Auto aficionados, when discussing auto accessories of the future, often...

Midwest Research Institute continues the search for alternative fuel sources.
September 22, 2000... For more than 20 years, Midwest Research Institute, an independent, not-for-profit contract research organization in Kansas City, has been the primary contractor in charge of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo. The...

Dealership Web sites add interactive features.
September 22, 2000... Franchised new-car dealers are responding to customer demands by offering a wide array of functional and interactive features on dealership Web sites, according to a survey by the National Automobile Dealers Association. The study by...

Joe Self follows father in car business, grows dealership, grooms dealers.
September 22, 2000... Adding BMWs to his lineup of new cars has been a good move for Joe Self. The owner of Joe Self Chevrolet-BMW says his sales of the German auto manufacturer's cars have climbed five-fold since adding that portion of the business 11 years...